


left you behind just standing there

by pettigrace



Series: sing it like a hummingbird [5]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Character Study, Coda, Family Issues, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, Missing Scene, Not Incest you nasties, POV Mick Rory, Post Zari Not Zari, Post-Episode: s05e09, Self-Hatred, reaction fic, this isn't about behrad behrad is FINE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:54:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23788906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pettigrace/pseuds/pettigrace
Summary: He shouldn’t have tried to fix things that haven’t been broken. The kid’s been fine without him, without his constant screwing up.How Mick's apology to Lita goes.
Relationships: Mick Rory & Ali, Mick Rory & Lita
Series: sing it like a hummingbird [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1757428
Comments: 7
Kudos: 29





	left you behind just standing there

**Author's Note:**

> A reaction fic? By moi? It's been known to happen. It's a missing scene, I guess? The ending of the episode wrecked me so bad I cannot remember if Mick shows up after he went back to apologize or not, so that works well.
> 
> Disclaimer: I have no idea how Americans talk, sorry. Also I just wrote that down real quick after watching the episode, whoops.
> 
> The title is from The Amazing Devil's "Welly Boots".

Mick shoulda known that whole thing’s been a dumb idea. After all, it came from Blondie’s girlie and she’s a clone, so what the hell had he been thinkin’, trustin her when it came to people? Hell,  _ he _ barely qualifies as one. He never shoudla  _ tried _ this in the first place, what with his attitude and bad influences and all that trash. Plus - time travel. Always comes to bite ya in the ass. He knows his fair share of that. 

He also knows that he sucks at apologies and shit like that, but he thought he’s gotta try. That Mona’s girl gotten all up in his head for a hot minute, made him go soft. And how did that go? Fuckin’ big scre-up once again, helped by the clone. But he went again, still with his head up in his ass and thought he could say  _ sorry _ . Didn’t work out, obviously, so now he’s sitting on the porch steps, mulling it over. He’s halfway had a mind to leave the space ship parked and head to that bar Lenny liked so much, but instead of getting his ass up he’s flipping through that stupid scrapbook. 

“Thought you’d left already,” Ali says behind him. She’s left the house a few minutes ago, tried to be quiet about it but ‘course he’d heard her. You don’ grow up like he did and don’t know how to watch ya back. 

“Only thing I’m good at, huh?” He answers dryly. Basically what the kid had told him before, and what she’s repeated moments ago. Not that he can blame her. This whole thing… not the same, nah, but he’s always hauled ass when things got complicated. Or sappy. Or shit like that. 

“I wouldn’t say ‘only thing’,” she says and drops down next to him. Pretty chill, actually. “More like Top Three, give or take.” Proud smirk for the comeback in place, but she means it, too, he can tell. It’s the truth after all. 

He shouldn’t have tried to fix things that haven’t been broken. The kid’s been fine without him, without his constant screwing up.

“Gotta say, that’s been a cute idea,” Ali continues, nodding at the book in his hands. He closes it with a quick movement. Sure, it’s her daughter, ‘course, but the last he needs is bullshit about it.

“It’s been a shit idea,” he grumbles, staring ahead. If she keeps claiming the opposite, then she’s either bullshitting him or about to punch him in the gut. Not like he doesn’t deserve it, of course, but he’s not in the mood. 

“Only bein’ there for the good times?” She answers. “Gee, tell me more. Can’t imagine why she’d be mad at ya.” 

He doesn’t know if she’s been listening at Lita’s shouting earlier or anythin’, but those exact words had fallen. An’ the fact that he’s only been around for a few hours at a time, of course. Not like he had much of a chance there, it’s been a marathon that Red woulda been jealous of, gettin’ all that done. And for what? For fuckin’ nothing.

“She’d been asking about you, ya know,” Ali continues. “Why you’re never around, shit like that. I told her I don’t even know who her dad really is.”

Mick’s head snaps around. ‘Course, it’s not like Ali didn’t get around or anything, really. She’s been a popular girl and from the looks of it, it’d stayed the same when she grew up into the leather babe he’d met at the reunion. So there’s probably a reason for not bein’ sure. Still, when he showed up she was so sure about his being the father, that it didn’t even cross his mind that it’s been an empty lie or anythin’ like that.

“Well, I don’t, do I?” Ali says. Her voice is clear as day and casual. “Thought I did - Mick Rory, troublemaker. No surprise here when you and your friend became freakin’ supervillains, not like ya ever did anything quietly, huh? But then ya dropped from the surface of the earth without a trace and next thing ya know, Mick Rory claims to be Rebecca Fuckin’ Silver.”

Mick huffs quietly. He can see how that’s confusing, sure, but it ain’t like all of that happened randomly at once. There’s been years in-between even without time travelling, so if she can’t keep up it’s clearly her fault. Which ain’t to say he’s become a whole different person or anything. He’s still the chaotic alcohol-heavy bastard he’s always been, lighting up shit left and right when he feels like it. 

He doesn’t know if Ali was in Central the night of that freaky explosion, but if she was she’d probably gained some weirdo powers, too, with the way she reads his mind like that. “Look, maybe you should figure out first who Mick Rory is nowadays, because he sure as hell ain’t who he used to be,” she says, pushing herself up from her seat next to him. “Once ya know ya could, y’know, try ya hand at that whole dad thing. Not that she needs it, but--”

“You did a great job,” Mick suddenly hears himself saying. “Raisin’ her, I mean.” That’s what living so close to a bunch o’ nerds does to ya: you stop thinkin’. But he doesn’t take it back, because it’s the truth. Sure, that Lita kid -  _ his kid _ \- is rude as hell and got a big mouth on her. Other people would see that as failed parenting or somethin’, but it’s a win in his book. Means she can protect herself, at least with words. If she’s anythin’ like him, probably with kicks, too. 

Ali turns a lil and grins at him. “Hell yeah, I did.” She doesn’t say anything like ‘No thanks to ya’ or the like to him, though she’d have all the right to it. Instead, she tilts her head a little to the side and says, “Just so ya know, if ya ever encounter ninjas or somethin’ ya better bring me a katana.”

Mick’s halfway about to tell her that ninjas aren’t even that special after all, though they do kick ass, when he realizes she shouldn’t know ‘bout this. Hell, she  _ can’t _ know ‘bout this, can she? Did Central suddenly announce all big and proud that time travellin’ ain’t that far off any more?

He musta been staring because she laughs at him. “Come on, ya don’t think ya can fool me, huh? Must’ve been blind not to see ya only show up for birthdays and shit, always lookin’ the same,” she shrugs. “Ain’t the craziest thing that’s happened.”

He’s gotta give her a point there. Still, her mentioning that so casually was  _ so _ not on the table that he still can’t do anythin’ but stare at her as she shakes her head to herself and jumps up the stairs. Does lean into the way she pats his shoulder, though. 

Fuckin’ hell, he needs a beer.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Please leave a comment!**  
>  If you liked this, come check out my [tumblr](http://joanthangroff.tumblr.com) or talk to me on [twitter](http://twitter.com/Ll4MDUNBAR).


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